“It’s a phenomenal achievement, they deserve all the plaudits they are getting.”

So says Cheltenham Tigers chairman Steve Ratcliffe who was talking about Cheltenham Tigers Women after they took Twickenham by storm not once, but twice, at the weekend, winning two showpiece cup finals.

It was a day of celebration for the club as their 1st XV beat Leicester Tigers Women 27-17 to win the Championship Play-off, while the 2nds won 36-22 against Hackney Ladies to lift the Intermediate Cup.

“It’s massive,” said club chairman Steve Ratcliffe. “To have two teams in finals at Twickenham on the same day and for both of them to win is remarkable.

“I’m not sure that’s ever been done before, it’s unbelievable, they were brilliant.”

They were cheered on by three bus-loads of the club’s supporters and Ratcliffe continued: “They’ve worked so hard for their success, they’re so committed. 

“They train twice a week every week, there’s always 40 to 45 at training and they’re always available for games.”

The win over Leicester Tigers was second row Maddie Massey’s last as captain.

“She’s been captain for the past four years,” said Ratcliffe. “She’s been absolutely brilliant, she’s created a proper rugby culture within the group.”

Cheltenham play their league rugby in Championship North 1, which is one level below the very best teams in the land.

They won the Championship Play-off in 2021/22 as well, beating Thurrock in the final at Aylesbury.

And while they are clearly a team who know how to win – they finished second to Leicester Tigers in the league campaign just finished – it’s fair to say that the club’s 2nd XV have got that winning feeling too.

Captain and scrum-half Tara Godby, who was in the 1st XV for the previous campaign, has helped the club to establish themselves in Championship South West 2, which is Level 3, after winning promotion 12 months earlier.

And Ratcliffe rates Sunday’s cup double right up there with some of the club’s greatest achievements in their 134-year history.

“It was an unbelievable day out,” he said. “To have one team playing at Twickenham is incredible, to have two teams playing there is beyond our wildest dreams.

“I suppose if you look back over the history of the club, playing the All Blacks in 1905 was massive, it doesn’t get much bigger than that.

“Moving from the old Athletic Ground to the Prince of Wales Stadium was a highlight, as was the Pilkington Cup fifth round tie in 1995 at Harlequins, who had 10 internationals in their side.

“And securing the future of the club when we purchased the Newlands on 5th August 2007 was another obvious highlight.”

The women’s section at the club were formed only 16 years before that momentous day so they have certainly come a long way in a relatively short time.

“Fiona Murphy was our first captain,” recalled Ratcliffe. “There’s a number of ladies who helped set up the section who are no longer with us, they’d have been so proud to see the two teams run out at Twickenham.”

And while the players are, quite rightly, getting all the praise for their Sunday best displays at the home of English rugby, Ratcliffe says that it was a big effort by everyone at the club.

“To get two squads to Twickenham with all the medics and the back-up staff was a huge logistical operation,” he said.

“The coaches have been brilliant. Tom Hudson has been our lead coach and he’s been supported by Bee Mocellin, Kyle Moyle, Henry Walker and Charlie Beckett.”

Former Gloucester full-back Hudson is taking up a coaching role with Leicester Tigers Women in 2023/24 and Ratcliffe said he hoped to have all the coaching positions filled for next season for both the men and women before the club’s end-of-season dinner on Friday 12th May.